I have the 5R Plus and it is a decent radio as a spare portable. I use it for amateur radio and also on FRS frequencies to communicate with family or friends when hiking, shopping, or other outside activities.
The programming software (VIP) is free. Chirp will also work on these models (also free). I purchased my radio in a package with the programming cable which only ended up being just a few dollars more than the actual radio. The software does make life a lot easier using this radio. It gives you access to features you are not able to program via the "menu" in the radio (i.e.: alpha tagging, scan skip, channel xmit defeat, etc).
The Miklor website has free programming guides that are very helpful. My put more money into a $50 radio when the resources are free.
Just remember that this is a $50 radio. Don't expect the features and convenience of the brand name radios costing hundreds more. You live with whatever little flaws that exist in the firmware. Notable to me right now is that you can't scan programmed channels that have a receive PL code of less than 136hz. It will receive fine when sitting on a channel but will skip the channel when scanning. Just a bug that will be fixed in later versions I'm sure.
Have fun if you get one.